Petter Solberg: Mud, sweat and tears

In the first of his regular columns on autosport.com this year, 2003 World Rally champion Petter Solberg looks ahead to the coming season, which kicks off with Rally Ireland this weekend

Petter's guide to the 2009 World Rally Championship

Hello and welcome to my first column on autosport.com of the season. I'm really looking forward to talking to readers of both Autosport and autosport.com through the year. It's going to be an interesting season in the WRC and one which, as I sit here and type, I still can't believe I'm not starting.

Believe me, I'm doing everything I can to try and forget that Rally Ireland – the opening round of the WRC – is going ahead without me. It's the first time in so many years, I have tears in my eyes just thinking about not being in the service park. But, hey, I'll be back in Norway, so let's make a show there.